RITUALS FOR COMPUTER OPERATION                     
                                                              
#####.###. «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« ..###..#.#
....##..#.                                          .#..#.###.
...#.#.### THE COMPUTER IS  A  VERY  COMMON TOOL IN ##.###..#.
..#####... THE FUTURES, AND IN SOME  WAYS EVEN NOW. .##..#.##.
.#....#... ITS  JOB IS TO DO VAST AMOUNTS OF  SMALL #.#.###.#.
##...##... CALCULATIONS IN  A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. ####..###.
.#..#.#..#                                          ...#.#..##
##.####.#. MOST  WORK  ON  THE PRINCIPLES OF POSING ..####.#.#
.##...#### THE  PROBLEM  ON  A HILBERT PLANE, WHICH .#...####.
#.#..#.... IS  THEN  FOLDED OUT  OF  CAUSALITY,  SO ##..#...#.
###.##.... THAT   DAEMONS  CAN  SOLVE  THE  PROBLEM .#.##..###
..##.#...#    WITHOUT AFFECTING REAL LIFE. (THESE   ###.#.#...
.#.###..#. DAEMONS  ARE  UNDER  CONTRACT  WITH  THE ..#####...
###..#.##.          COMPUTER MANUFACTURER.)         .#....#...
..#.###.##                                          ##...##..#
.###..##..   IT'S COMMONPLACE FOR PROGRAMMERS AND   .#..#.#.##
#..#.#.#.# CLERKS  TO PRAY TO  THE "GODS"  OF THEIR ##.#####.#
#.#######. COMPUTER,  OR  TO THE  DAEMONS DOING THE .##....##.
##......#. WORK,  FOR   A  QUICK  AND   FAULT  FREE #.#...#.##
.#.....##.                OPERATION.                ###..###..
##....#.##                                          ..#.#..#..
.#...###..       SOME UBIQUITOUS AND GENERALLY      .####.##.#
##..#..#..    NON-CONTROVERSIAL RITUALS INCLUDE:    #...##.###
.#.##.##..                                          #..#.##...
###.##.#..      ««# LIGHT A SCENTED CANDLE #««      #.###.#...
..##.###.#        ««# FOR QUIET AND CALM #««        ##..###..#
.#.##..##.                                          .#.#..#.##
###.#.#.##     ««# RECITE A MANTRA OR OTHER #««     ####.###.#
..######..    ««# REASSURING MESSAGE TO MAKE #««    ...##..##.
.#.....#.#     ««# THE COMPUTER COMFORTABLE #««     ..#.#.#.#.
##....####            ««# AND AT EASE #««           .########.
.#...#...#                                          #.......##
##..##..##     ««# SOME LIKE TO SAY A BRIEF #««     #......#.#
.#.#.#.#..     ««# PRAYER FOR SOLACE, TO BE #««     #.....###.
########.#   ««# LEFT ALONE DURING THEIR WORK #««   #....#..#.
.......##.                                          #...##.###
......#.##   ««# OFFER A CUP OF STEAMING TEA #««    #..#.##..#
.....###.#    ««# OR A MEAL TO THE MACHINES #««     #.###.#.##
....#..##.    ««# (SOMETIMES, BY FEY RULES, #««     ##..####.#
...##.#.#.     ««# THE DAEMONS ARE ALLOWED #««      .#.#...###
..#.#####.        ««# TO RESPOND TO THIS) #««       ####..#..#
.###....##                                          ...#.##.##
#..#...#.# «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« ..###.##.#
           ,,,«,      ,  ««,   ,            «,   ,«           
           ,     ,,      ,     ,     .     ,.     .           
           .            .                  §      .           
                              .                               
                                                              
                                                              
           WOULD    YOU    CONSIDER    CODE    GOLF           
           TO    BE    A    KIND     OF     PRAYER?           
           AS   IN,   YOU   MAKE    A   CONVOLUTED,           
           INTRICATE,    BEAUTIFUL,   AND   USELESS           
           ARTIFACT.  AS   IN,  YOU'RE  USING  YOUR           
           SKILLS    TO    ASK    FOR    SOMETHING,           
                                                              
           ...I'D   ASK  FOR  A  HANDFUL  OF  BUGS?           
                                                              
           CODE   HAS    BUGS,    LOTS    OF    IT.